Trick-or-Treat Pumpkin Stencil

Kids will be starstruck over this glamorous pumpkin stencil. A starry night sky takes center stage in this design, with everyone's favorite Halloween activity spelled out in the clouds. A cute bat pops in for a moonlit appearance and almost steals the show! Surprise your kids by creating this fun carved pumpkin; just click the link below to grab our free stencil.

Kids will love to help out with this fun, seasonal project; just assign tasks based on age and maturity level. Little children can help by using an ice cream scoop (or their hands!) to scrape out messy seeds and pulp; expect a few fun-loving squeals during this process. Older kids may be ready to assist with carving, with adult supervision. Remember to reserve pumpkin seeds to toast and eat together.

To carve:

1. Flip your pumpkin over to access its underside, and cut a hole in the bottom of the pumpkin. Remove the cut-out bottom, prying it out with a knife if necessary. Scoop out the pumpkin guts with an ice cream scoop. Select the prettiest side of your pumpkin, and scrape that side's interior wall to a thickness of approximately 1".

2. Print out your trick-or-treat stencil pattern, and tape it to the side of your pumpkin. Smooth out the pattern as best you can, and go over the stencil lines with a pin tool, poking holes about 1/8" apart. When you've outlined your pattern completely, remove the stencil.

3. Using a skinny, serrated knife, follow the pin hole outlines to cut the openings that form your design. Press on carved sections from inside the pumpkin to nudge the pieces out.